Fish grab-hook.



J. M. STBPHENS & W. A. ZBA. FISH GRAB HOOK.

APPLICATION 111.111) MAY 9, 1910.

995,493. v Patented June 20,1911.

w/ rlvzasas' JASPER MARION STEPHENS AND WILLIAM A. ZEA, OF LAWTON,OKLAHOMA.

FISH GRAB-HOOK.

assess.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JASPER M. STEPHENS and Vv ILLn-mr A. ZEA, residingat Lawton, in the county of Comanche and State of Oklahoma, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Fish Grab-Hooks, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in grab hooks which may be usedfor catching either fish or animals, the invention consisting in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of devices, hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a grabhook con structed in accordance with our invention, showing the sameset. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view showing the catch and the tripand coacting parts. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the catch andtrip also showing aportion of the cross bar of the upper jaw the stem orguide rod and the spring.

In the construction of our improved grab hook, we provide a frame whichcomprises a pair of vertical guide rods 1, and a cross bar 2, whichconnects the upper end of the said guide rods. Said guide rods are hereshown as provided at their lower ends with l then operates to move theupper aw toward hooks which engage and secure the lower jaw 3. This jawis circular and is provided with upwardly extending spaced, impalingteeth 4 A netting 5 which may be made of wire or other suitable materialcloses the lower portion of the lower jaw. The cross bar 2 is providednear its ends with eyes 6, to which are connected suitable links 7 whichserve for the attachment as at 8 of a suitable line, which may beemployed in connection with the grab hook to lower the latter into thewater when the trap is to be used for catching fish or marine animals.

The upper 12 is circular and is provided on its lower side with spacedclownwardly extending impaling teeth 13 which are co-incident with thespaces between the teeth of the lower jaw 3. A cross bar 11, extendsacross and has its ends secured to the upper jaw and is provided withopenings 14, through which the guide rods 1 extend, the upper jaw beingthereby slidably connected to the guide rods for vertical movementtoward and from the lower jaw. A stem 10 extends upwardly from thecenter of the cross bar 11, to which its lower end is attached and thesaid stem extends Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 9, 1910.

Patented June 20, 1911.

Serial No. 560,373.

through and is movable in a central opening 9 with which the cross bar 2is provided. A coiled extensile spring 20 is disposed on the stem 10 andbears between the cross bars 2 and 11, its function being to force theupper jaw downwardly and close it against the lower jaw when the upperjaw is released.

A trip 16 is pivotally suspended from the cross bar 11 of the upper jaw,the bearings of its axis being indicated at 15, said trip havingshoulders 16 which extend above and below its axis. This trip isprovided with a downwardly extending hook 17 to which a suitable baitmay be attached. A

catch 18 has its upper end pivotally con nected to the cross bar 2, andis provided at its lower end with an inwardly extending shoulder 19,which may be engaged with the cross bar 11, of the upper jaw at a pointto one side of and opposite the trip 16. This catch as will beunderstood, holds the upper jaw in raised, set position. When a fish oranimal disturbs the bait on the hook l7, and the trip 16 is partlyturned in either direc tion, one of its shoulders 16 engages the lower,shouldered portion of the catch and acts as a cam to disengage theshoulder 19 of the catch from the cross bar 11, thereby releasing theupper jaw and the spring 20 the lower jaw, and hence the fish or animalis caught and impaled between the jaws and cannot escape.

Having thus described our invention, we claim 1. The herein describedgrab hook comprising a frame having a fixed jaw provided with impalingteeth, a movable aw connected to and guided by the frame and alsoprovided with impaling teeth, a spring to operate the movable jaw, acatch pivotally connected to the frame and having a shoulder to engagean element of the movable jaw and hold the latter in set positionagainst the tension of the spring, and a trip pivotally connected to themovable jaw and provided with a bait attachin device, the said tripbeing also provided with cam shoulders above and below its pivotal axisso that when the trip is moved in either direction On its pivot one ofits cam shoulders engages the catch and positively moves the latter outof engagement with the movable jaw.

2. The herein described grab hook comprising a frame having verticalside bars, a cross bar connecting their upper ends and a lower jawconnecting their lower ends and provided on its upper side with impalingteeth, an upper jaw having impaling teeth on its lower side and providedwith a cross member having openings through which the guide rods extend,said upper jaw being movable on the guide rods toward and from the lowerjaw, a stem extending upwardly from the cross member of the upper jawand slidably engaging the cross bar of the frame, a spring on the stemand bearing between the cross bar of the frame and the cross member ofthe upper jaw, a catch pivotally connected to the cross bar of the frameand having a shoulder to engage the cross member of the lower jaw andextend below the latter and a trip pivotally connected to the crossmember of the upper aw, the trip being provided with a downwardlyextending bait attaching device and being also provided with camshoulders extending above and below its pivotal axis so that when thetrip is turned in either direction on its pivot one of its cam shoulderswill engage the catch and positively disconnect the latter from thecross member of the upper jaw.

In testimony whereof we afiiX our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

JASPER MARION STEPHENS. WHLLIAM A. ZEA.

Witnesses F RED W. REUVEN, CLAUD P. CRANDAL Copies of this patent may beobtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,Washington, D. C.

